Boiler-feeder.



' PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903. A. L, CLARK. BOILER FEEDER.

. APPLIOA'I'ION FILED OUT. 11, 1902- 10 MODEL. I v 2 SHEETS-S32E21 1.

No. 737,348. P ATENTED AUGQ25, 1903'; A. L. CLARK.

, BOILER FEEDER.

; APPLIOATION FILED OCT. 11, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Hm H

' an elevation showing the application of my desupplying the boiler with water.

.To all whom it may concern;

' tion.

UNITED STATES Patented August 25, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE. 7

ALEXANDER L. CLARK, OF PRINCETON, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO PEARLY STILES AND HARVEY STILES, OF PRINCETON, IOWA.

BOILER-FEEDER:

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 737,348, dated August 25, 1903.

Application filed October 11, 1902.

- Be it known that I, ALEXANDER L.CLARK, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Princeton, county of Scott, and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Boiler-Feeder, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in automatic boiler-feeders, thejobj ect of the invention being to produce a device of this character which will be sensitive enough to respond promptly to the action of the water and steam in the boiler and which will be reliable'in its operation, and a further object is to provide my improved attachment with audible and visible signals, whichwill keep the engineer informed of the condition of the boiler and of the operations of the feeder.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is vice, the boiler being shown in outline. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my attachment. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken centrally through the attachment, parts being shown in eleva- Fig. 4 is a section taken at aright angle to Fig. 3, the float being in elevation. Fig. 5 is a detail View, partly in section, on about the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken through one of the pivoted guideblocks.

In the above-described figures, Arepresents a steam-boiler, A the dome, and A the pump.

7 B represents a steam-pipe leading from the boiler to my attachment, and B a steam-pipe leading from my attachment to the pump.

B is the pipe leading from the pump to the boiler. r V

In carrying out my improvement I employ a cylinder C, having in its upper-portion a lateral extension 0. In the cylinder is a hollow piston or 'float D, downwardly open. In the extension is a transverse shaft E, to which is pivotally secured the arm E, the said arm being bifurcated at its free end, as shown at E Arms D extend upward from the piston, which is formed with a conical top, and between these arms is mountedan antifrictionroller. D which is engaged by the bifurcated arm'E. One end of the shaft E is journaled in the wall of the part 0, while the other passes through asuitable stuffing-box E and Seria1No.126.898. (Nomodc1.)

carries a crank E 'Adjacent the stuffingbox a threaded openingis produced in the wall of the extension, and a perforated threaded sleeve E yhaving a flange intermediate its ends, is secured in the opening, the inner side of the flange bearing against the outer-wallof the extension. The outer end of the sleeve is concave, and the stuifing-box is threaded on the sleeve, bearing against the outer side of the flange. Anysuitablepacking material may be employed in the stuifing-box.

The upper end of the crank E is pivoted to a guide-block F, Figs. 2 and 6,, and through the guide-block runs a shaft F,having a handwheel F at oneend and threaded at the opposite end. At the threaded end of the shaft is aguide-block F threaded to correspond to the portion of the rod passing through it. This block is pivotally connected to a crankarm F The portion of the rod passing through the block F has a groove F around it, into which projects a pin F preventing forward or rearward movement of the rod relative to this block. By means of the handwheel the crank-arms E andF can be adj usted relative to each other.

The crank-arm F is connected to a valvestem G, connected to a valve of the usual type located in the valve-chamber G. A cam H is carried by the arm F A whistle I is located at the upper end of a branch I of the steam-pipe B, in which is the usual valve, (not shown,) the stem of which is connected by a link I to a rod 1 the lowerend of the rod terminating in a shoe resting on the cam H. A guide-bracket I extends from the union of the pipes B andI, and between this bracket and the collar I is the spring I A watergage J is attached to the cylinder 0 by the pipes J J From the top of the cylinder extends a pipe K, which leads to the upper part of the boiler, while from the lower part of the cylinder extends a pipe K, leading to the lower part of the boiler.

The operation of my device is i as follows: Water from the boiler will enter the cylinder through the pipe K and'stand thereiniand in the gage J at the same level as in the boiler, lifting the piston 'l),'-which'acts also as a float, the arm E being lifted, the bifurcated end traveling on the antifriction-roller turning the rod E, throwing the crank-arm F in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 2, and drawing, by means of the shaft F, the crank-arm F in the same direction. This movement when the rise in the water has reached a predetermined limit will close the valve in the chamber G, while the cam will force up the rod 1 and close the whistle-valve. As the water falls the movement will be reversed and the valve in the chamber opened, the shoe will slip from the cam and the whistle-valve will open, steam will pass fromthe boiler to the pump by way of the pipes B B, and the pump will be started and water supplied to the boiler through the pipe 13 Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim asnew, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a boiler-feeder, the combination with a boiler, and pump, a cylinder having communication with the boiler, a piston inv said cylinder, an antifriction-roller mounted on the upper side of the piston, a shaft within the cylinder, an arm secured to the shaft at one end. and bifurcated at the other, thebifurcated portion engaging said roller, and means connected to the shaft for admitting steam to the pump when the piston falls.

2. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a boiler, of a pump adapted to supply the boiler with water, a steam-pipe leading from the boiler to the pump, a Valve in said pipe, a crank-arm attached to the stem of said valve,a cylinder attached to said boiler, a shaft within the cylinder a crank-arm at tached to the outer end of the shaft, a shaft threaded at one end and carrying a handwheel at the other connecting the crank-arms, and means within the cylinder for actuating the crank-arms and opening the valve when the water in the boiler falls below a predetermined limit.

3. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a boiler, a pump connected therewith, a steampipe running from the boiler to the pump, a valve in said pipe, a branch pipe terminating in a whistle, a valve in said pipe, a crank-arm connected to the stem of the valve in the steam-pipe, a cam mounted thereon, a vertical rod terminating in a shoe resting on said eccentric, a link connecting the stem of the whistle-valve with the rod, and automatic means for turning the crankarm and opening both valves when the water in the boiler falls below a predetermined limit.

4. A device of the kind described comprising a cylindrical casing having a lateral extension in its upper portion, a float adapted to work in its lower portion, a bifurcated stem attached to the upper part of the float, a roller mounted therein, a shaft journaled in the casing and passing through the extension, an arm secured thereto bifurcated at its inner end, the said roller being adapted to travel between said bifurcated portions, and a valve adapted to be actuated by the rotation of said shaft as the float rises and falls.

ALEXANDER L. CLARK.

WVitnesses:

J. D. DENNIS, W. J. PEASLEE. 

